Canon G1 X Mark III vs Leica M10

The Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III and the Leica M10 (Typ 3656) are two enthusiast cameras that were officially introduced, respectively,
in October 2017 and January 2017. The G1X Mark III is a fixed lens compact, while the M10 is a rangefinder-style mirrorless. The cameras are based on an APS-C (G1X Mark III) and a full frame (M10) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Leica provides 23.8 MP. Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their sensors, their features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison: Canon G1 X Mark III vs Leica M10

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon G1 X Mark III and the Leica M10. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size,
the Leica M10 is notably larger (24 percent) than the Canon G1 X Mark III. It is worth mentioning in this context that the G1X Mark III is splash and dust resistant,
while the M10 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the G1X Mark III has a lens built in,
whereas the M10 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the M10 and their specifications in the Leica M Lens Catalog.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, just click on the right or left
arrow next to the camera that you would like to inspect. Alternatively, you can also use the CAM-parator to
select your camera combination among a larger number of options.

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The G1X Mark III was launched at a lower price than the M10, despite having a lens built in. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison: Canon G1 X Mark III vs Leica M10

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon G1 X Mark III features an APS-C sensor and the Leica M10
a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the M10 is 158 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

In terms of underlying technology, both cameras are build around CMOS sensors.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the Canon G1 X Mark III offers a higher
resolution of 24 megapixels, compared with 23.8 MP of the Leica M10.
This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel
(with a pixel pitch of 3.72μm versus 6.00μm for the M10). However, it should be noted that the G1X Mark III is a somewhat more recent model (by 8 months) than the M10, and its sensor
might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that partly offset its pixel-size disadvantage. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the M10 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The G1X Mark III has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during video recording.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

Camera Model

Sensor Class

Resolution (MP)

Horiz. Pixels

Vert. Pixels

Video Format

DXO Portrait

DXO Landscape

DXO Sports

DXO Overall

Camera Model

Canon G1 X Mark III»

APS-C

24.0

6000

4000

1080/60p

-

-

-

-

Canon G1 X Mark III

Leica M10«

Full Frame

23.8

5952

3992

-

24.4

13.2

2133

86

Leica M10

Canon 6D Mark II«»

Full Frame

26.0

6240

4160

1080/60p

24.4

11.9

2862

85

Canon 6D Mark II

Canon G9 X Mark II«»

1-inch

20.0

5472

3648

1080/60p

21.9

12.5

522

65

Canon G9 X Mark II

Canon M6«»

APS-C

24.0

6000

4000

1080/60p

-

-

-

-

Canon M6

Canon 80D«»

APS-C

24.0

6000

4000

1080/60p

23.6

13.2

1135

79

Canon 80D

Fujifilm X-T3«»

APS-C

26.0

6240

4160

4K/60p

-

-

-

-

Fujifilm X-T3

Fujifilm X100F«»

APS-C

24.0

6000

4000

1080/60p

-

-

-

-

Fujifilm X100F

Leica M10-P«»

Full Frame

23.8

5952

3992

-

-

-

-

-

Leica M10-P

Leica M Typ 262«»

Full Frame

23.7

5952

3976

-

-

-

-

-

Leica M Typ 262

Leica Q Typ 116«»

Full Frame

24.0

6000

4000

1080/60p

24.3

12.7

2221

85

Leica Q Typ 116

Leica M Typ 240«»

Full Frame

23.7

5952

3976

1080/25p

24.0

13.3

1860

84

Leica M Typ 240

Nikon D7500«»

APS-C

20.7

5568

3712

4K/30p

24.3

14.0

1483

86

Nikon D7500

Sony A6300«»

APS-C

24.0

6000

4000

4K/30p

24.4

13.7

1437

85

Sony A6300

Sony A6500«»

APS-C

24.0

6000

4000

4K/30p

24.5

13.7

1405

85

Sony A6500

Sony RX10 III«»

1-inch

20.0

5472

3648

4K/30p

23.1

12.6

472

70

Sony RX10 III

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The G1X Mark III indeed provides movie recording capabilities, while the M10 does not. The highest resolution format that the G1X Mark III can use is 1080/60p.

Feature comparison: Canon G1 X Mark III vs Leica M10

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the G1X Mark III has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), while the M10 has an optical one.
Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information
into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon G1 X Mark III and Leica M10 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

Camera Model

Viewfinder (Type or '000 dots)

Control Panel (yes/no)

LCD Size (inch)

LCD Resolution ('000 dots)

LCD Attach- ment

Touch Screen (yes/no)

Shutter speed (1/sec)

Shutter flaps (1/sec)

Built-in Flash (yes/no)

Built-in Image Stab

Camera Model

Canon G1 X Mark III»

2360

n

3.0

1040

swivel

Y

2000

9.0

Y

Y

Canon G1 X Mark III

Leica M10«

optical

n

3.0

1037

fixed

n

4000

5.0

n

n

Leica M10

Canon 6D Mark II«»

optical

Y

3.0

1040

swivel

Y

4000

6.5

n

n

Canon 6D Mark II

Canon G9 X Mark II«»

-

n

3.0

1040

fixed

Y

2000

8.2

Y

Y

Canon G9 X Mark II

Canon M6«»

-

n

3.0

1040

tilting

Y

4000

9.0

Y

n

Canon M6

Canon 80D«»

optical

Y

3.0

1040

swivel

Y

8000

7.0

Y

n

Canon 80D

Fujifilm X-T3«»

3690

n

3.2

1040

tilting

Y

8000

11.0

n

n

Fujifilm X-T3

Fujifilm X100F«»

2360

n

3.0

1040

fixed

n

4000

8.0

Y

n

Fujifilm X100F

Leica M10-P«»

optical

n

3.0

1037

fixed

Y

4000

5.0

n

n

Leica M10-P

Leica M Typ 262«»

optical

n

3.0

921

fixed

n

4000

3.0

n

n

Leica M Typ 262

Leica Q Typ 116«»

3680

n

3.0

1040

fixed

Y

2000

10.0

n

n

Leica Q Typ 116

Leica M Typ 240«»

optical

n

3.0

920

fixed

n

4000

3.0

n

n

Leica M Typ 240

Nikon D7500«»

optical

Y

3.2

922

tilting

Y

8000

8.0

Y

n

Nikon D7500

Sony A6300«»

2359

n

3.0

922

tilting

n

4000

11.0

Y

n

Sony A6300

Sony A6500«»

2359

n

3.0

922

tilting

Y

4000

11.0

Y

Y

Sony A6500

Sony RX10 III«»

2359

Y

3.0

1229

tilting

n

2000

14.0

Y

Y

Sony RX10 III

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The G1X Mark III has one, while the M10 does not.
While the built-in flash of the G1X Mark III is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The G1X Mark III has an articulated LCD that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by
vloggers and photographers who are interested in snapping selfies. In contrast, the M10 does not have a selfie-screen.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the G1X Mark III and the M10 write their files to SDXC cards.

Connectivity comparison: Canon G1 X Mark III vs Leica M10

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III and Leica M10 (Typ 3656) and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

Camera Model

Hotshoe Port

Internal Microphone

Internal Speaker

Microphone Port

Headphone Port

HDMI Port

USB Type

WiFi Support

NFC Support

Bluetooth Support

Camera Model

Canon G1 X Mark III»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

Y

Y

Canon G1 X Mark III

Leica M10«

Y

-

-

-

-

-

-

Y

-

-

Leica M10

Canon 6D Mark II«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

Y

Y

Y

Canon 6D Mark II

Canon G9 X Mark II«»

-

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

Y

Y

Canon G9 X Mark II

Canon M6«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

mini

2.0

Y

Y

Y

Canon M6

Canon 80D«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

Y

mini

2.0

Y

Y

-

Canon 80D

Fujifilm X-T3«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

Y

micro

3.1

Y

-

Y

Fujifilm X-T3

Fujifilm X100F«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

micro

2.0

Y

-

-

Fujifilm X100F

Leica M10-P«»

Y

-

-

-

-

-

-

Y

-

-

Leica M10-P

Leica M Typ 262«»

Y

-

-

-

-

-

2.0

-

-

-

Leica M Typ 262

Leica Q Typ 116«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

micro

2.0

Y

Y

-

Leica Q Typ 116

Leica M Typ 240«»

Y

stereo

mono

-

-

-

2.0

Y

-

-

Leica M Typ 240

Nikon D7500«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

Y

mini

2.0

Y

-

Y

Nikon D7500

Sony A6300«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

micro

2.0

Y

Y

-

Sony A6300

Sony A6500«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

-

micro

2.0

Y

Y

-

Sony A6500

Sony RX10 III«»

Y

stereo

mono

Y

Y

micro

2.0

Y

Y

-

Sony RX10 III

Both the G1X Mark III and the M10 are recent models that feature in their makers' current product line-up. The M10 replaced the earlier Leica M Typ 262, while the G1X Mark III followed on from the Canon G1 X Mark II.

Review summary: Canon G1 X Mark III vs Leica M10

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Canon G1 X Mark III better than the Leica M10 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Canon PowerShot G1 X Mark III:

Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.

Broader imaging potential: Can record not only still images but also 1080/60p movies.

More flexible: Takes interchangeable lenses and can thus be used with different optics.

More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale value.

More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in January 2017).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the G1X Mark III is the clear winner of the match-up (18 : 10 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera.

G1X Mark III 18:10 M10

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the G1X Mark III or the M10 handle or perform in practice. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews: Canon G1 X Mark III vs Leica M10

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall rankings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (cameralabs, dpreview, ephotozine, imaging-resource, photographyblog). The full reviews are available by clicking on the site logo in the table header.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

Other camera comparisons

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